Landing page design and development from scratch can seem like a daunting task, but it's a crucial element in driving traffic, generating leads, and increasing conversions. A carefully crafted landing page has the power to capture the attention of its visitors and inspire them to take the intended action.
Within the confines of this article, we shall divulge the secrets of how to design landing pages from scratch. Let's go from setting goals to making a layout, choosing visuals and text, and, ultimately, thoroughly examining your creation.
What is a landing page and resources to create?
A landing page is a one-page site, the purpose of which is to turn a potential client into a customer.
You need to know how to design a great landing page if you want to:
Conduct an advertising campaign for a newly launched service/product, etc
An effective landing page should inform visitors about the product/service, provide more details, and provide arguments (for example, reviews). This leads potential customers to take specific actions, such as filling in the contact form, buying a product/service, subscribing to the newsletter, etc. A landing page with a high conversion rate will help you successfully develop your business and attract more potential customers.
How should a landing page be created and what resources should be available?
To understand how to design landing pages, you need to better understand the structure and content. Even though landing pages are created for different areas and services/products, they always have key elements:
- Branding: The logo of your company/product.
- Headline: This is the first thing that visitors see on the landing page. It should be attention-grabbing and communicate what the page is about.
- Subheadline: This provides additional information about the offered product or service and further entices visitors to take action.
- Call to action (known as CTA): Obvious buttons or links (e.g. “Get a demo”, “Try it now!”) that encourage visitors to take a specific action, such as making a purchase, leaving their contact details, subscribing to the newsletter, etc.
- Hero image or video: Placed on the first screen of the page, an attractive image or video related to your product/service, is used to attract the attention of visitors.
- Advantages/features: A block with information about the advantages, capabilities, and features of your product/service, which convinces visitors of its value.
- Social proof: A block that can include previous customer reviews, ratings, testimonials, and the rating of your product/service on popular platforms, and case studies, which will show visitors the value of the product/service and increase the trust in potential customers.
How long does it take to design a landing page?
Landing page development is not an easy process, and its completion time is determined by several factors:
- Design complexity: A simple target page with minimal design and configuration is created in a few hours. A more complex target page with individual design can take several weeks.
- Setting level: Already created templates or themes can be used to create a target page quickly and economically. Individual designs require more time and effort. It takes into account business objectives and the target audience and produces a framework or rough sketch that is refined based on customer feedback.
- Experience level of the designer: A more experienced designer can work efficiently and effectively
How much does it cost to design a landing page?
Developing a landing page can cost several hundred to several thousand dollars. Typically, a simple home page based on a pre-designed template or theme costs between $200 and $500. In contrast, a more personalized home page with an exclusive design can cost up to $5,000. The cost of developing a landing page is only one factor to consider. In addition to copywriting and coding, paid advertising and traffic generation strategies are also included. These are approximate prices for 2023, but everything is individual and depends on the project.
A step-by-step guide to creating a landing page design for a QA outsourcing company
To design a landing page, you should follow the following steps:
1. Define goals and target audience
First, before designing a landing page, you must determine the purpose of its creation. Describe the possible actions visitors may take when they visit your page. You must know your target audience. Who are these people? What are their pains? What motivates them to take certain actions.
The landing page for the QA outsourcing company is aimed at potential customers who already have a product/service ready or are in the process of development. These customers want to improve their performance and quality with the help of QA services. Upon arriving at the landing page, they should sign up for a consultation.
2. Plan a landing page layout
After analyzing the goals and target audience, it is necessary to plan the layout of the landing page. It should contain clear and concise information about your product/service that conveys its value and benefits. It should be easy to navigate and the call to action should be visible to visitors.
For the QA of the outsourced company, I allocated the following blocks:
The first screen of the page
For easier navigation on the page, I decided to place the most relevant blocks of information (HOME, ABOUT US, EXPERTISE, SERVICES, CASES) in the header of the page. When a user clicks on it, they will immediately navigate to the desired block.
3. Choose a color scheme and fonts
Choosing a color scheme can help you make the right impression on visitors and convey the mood of your brand. You can use a color scheme to complement your brand and appeal to a specific target audience.
The choice of fonts is also key. The attractiveness of the page as a whole depends on it. As well as the ease of use and readability of the content. You need to choose fonts that match the theme of your brand. I chose the following color scheme for the landing page. The colors are contrasting and at the same time stylish and light.
I also selected the following pair of fonts for this landing page: Outfit and Red Hat Display. These are well-read grotesque fonts that fit into the style of the page.
4. Create a compelling headline and subheadline
Remember, this is the first thing visitors will see on your site, so your headline and subheadline should be attractive, clear, and concise.
In the case of a QA outsourcing company, I came up with the following title: "Provider of QA services" and the subtitle "Let's choose a testing strategy together! We have prepared for you a list of services that you can try right now for FREE."
5. Think through the call to action
The call to action is the most significant element of your landing page. It is a necessity to think about exactly how the CTA will sound and where it will be placed. Don't use it too often on a page. It should be understandable and visible. Use contrasting colors to make your call to action stand out on the page.
Based on the previously defined color scheme, I created the following call to action "CONTACT US" and "BOOK A CONSULTATION", presented in the form of buttons:
a smaller one, which will be placed in the header of the page
6. Use high-quality images and graphics
With images and graphics, you can convey the value of your product/service and make your landing page design flawless. For the page design to look unified and clean, you should use high-quality images, icons and graphics in the same style. You can also include graphics, icons, and app screenshots on your landing page that enhance your product and convey your message to site visitors.
Below is an example of a block with technologies owned by the company's QA specialists. It can be seen that all logos are the same size and of high quality.
7. Use white space effectively
White space, also known as negative space, is the space between elements on your landing page. It can make your site more visually appealing, and uncluttered, and draw attention to calls to action. Therefore, when designing your landing page, think about how much white space you will use. Also, think about where it is appropriate to place it to better emphasize important elements such as the headline, subheadline, and CTA.
8. Adapt the landing page for all devices
Responsive design is essential to any landing page design. As more people access the Internet from mobile devices, the whole page must look and function well on all devices. After designing the desktop version of the landing page, I moved on to adapting the design for mobile devices and tablets.
From my own experience, landing pages are an excellent marketing tool for any company. Apart from presenting your services or products, it is also responsible for attracting new clients.
To build from scratch and understand how long it takes to design a landing page, you need to carefully prepare and pay attention to details. You can design a landing page that compellingly sells your product or service. This is done by setting objectives, understanding the target audience, and preparing the layout. By following the instructions in this article, you will get a landing page design that will bring results.
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